It’s a sunny morning in Maranello, Italy, and sitting pretty in front of me is Ferrari’s new car, the 812 Superfast. On the face of it, this Ferrari has the profile of a comfortable and relatively relaxed front-engined grand tourer, and there’s nothing intimidating about it. It has a long bonnet, a long wheelbase, and a tight-fitting cabin that’s pushed all the way to the rear. But, under the hood of this ostensibly mild-mannered sportscar, is one of the most powerful naturally-aspirated engines to be strapped into a road car. It sends an impressive 800hp to the road, via the rear wheels.
Then there is the 812’s pedigree. The F12, this car’s predecessor, had the ballistic performance of a missile, and a driving experience as immersive as skydiving. This new 812 has over 70 horsepower more! The 812 is a different sort of beast. It’s got rear-wheel steering, F1-derived aerodynamics, and an all-new suite of electronic driver aids that should make it easier to tame. But is it?
First impressions
To begin with, the ride isn’t as comfortable as the F12’s, and the 812 thumps and thuds over even medium-size bumps. The 812’s cabin is also not as well-insulated as its predecessor’s. There’s more road and wind noise, and the whine from that huge V12 is greater. This feels like a harder-edged version of the F12 that’s built for the racetrack. This impression gets reinforced as I up the pace, but in a good way. It feels a lot nimbler when you flick it left and right over a section of mountain road. If ever a 1,600kg Ferrari could feel as light as a Mazda Miata, this is it.
What I also feel is the explosive power of the massive V12. At low speeds, there’s a deep ‘brassy’ resonance accompanied by an urgent tug. Just tap the throttle and it flies. And because Ferrari’s twin-clutch gearbox works seamlessly, this is quite easy to drive in Maranello traffic.
Flex your right foot urgently, however, and the 812 jerks your head back and quickly reminds you that this is no boulevard cruiser. The transition happens almost instantly. One minute it’s a well-mannered pony, obeying every little flick of your wrist and prod of your foot, and the next it’s a total beast, with wide eyes glazed over in savage rage. And if the frenzied build-up of speed wasn’t overwhelming enough, there’s the sweet, but manic exhaust note to contend with.
When you extend the motor, the baritone disappears and Ferrari’s 12-cylinder sounds like a wailing, naturally-aspirated, Formula 1 engine. The acceleration is so fierce that I get slammed violently into the seat, and can feel my face ‘melt’ as the skin is pulled back tight, like a mask. How fast is it? It does 0-100kph in under 3sec, and 200kph takes a mere 7.9sec!
Savage acceleration aside
The 812 is also superbly balanced around bends and curvy sections. The harder and faster I go on Ferrari’s Fiorano test track, the nippier and more go-kart-like the 812 feels. How much you can extract out of the 812 is completely up to you.
You can select the default ‘Sport’ setting and let the car’s electronics keep things nice and tied-down. But, if you want more involvement, shift to ‘Race’, where you can feel more of the car’s real power. With most of the electronic aids turned off, there’s less of a safety net here, and you need to be judicious with your controls. Still, once you’ve settled in, the 812 is supremely rewarding to drive.
This car even encourages you to drive harder and faster, the steering nudging you in the right direction as the car reaches its limits. Yes, at times I’m not sure if it is the car’s electronics at work, and at others, I just feel so much in control of everything. The electronic aids blend in seamlessly with your style of driving. And let’s not forget that this is a GT, with a spacious cabin, a big boot, and loads of creature comforts.
Seventy years ago
Enzo Ferrari put a 1,500cc V12 in the nose of a car and gave the 125 S to the world. It was followed by brilliant touring sports cars like the 250 GT, 250 GTO, 275 GTB and the 365 GTB. However, in 1996, the Maranello-based company realised the need for a semi-practical Super GT. As a result, the 550 Maranello, and subsequently the 599 Fiorano and the F12 were born.
The 6.5-litre, V12-powered 812 continues that tradition, pushing the performance envelope further. The explosive, naturally-aspirated engine remains the focal point of the car, and thanks to its Formula One-inspired electronic driver aids, you can even use all of its 800hp. Of course, the 812 will be out of reach for most mortals when it is launched towards the end of the year in India, at about ₹5 crore.
But if you are lucky enough to be in the market for such a car, the 812 is almost certainly the best of its kind — 100% supercar, 100% GT, and 100% stunning.
